THE WITCH’S CHILDREN

Pigeons and squirrels beat hasty retreats when a trio of witch children saunters into the park one breezy day. But it’s in vain, for soon the birds have been transformed into fat footmen, the squirrels into soldiers, the ice-cream lady into a fair princess, and an unwary child named Gemma into a frog, then a handsome prince. “Change us back,” all demand, but the children shrug, admitting that they don’t know how. In spacious cartoons, Ayto shows the park’s dismayed residents changing, stage by stage, as wind-driven bats and bugs flutter about and the youngest of the witch children stands by, laughing heartily. It’s that same youngster, though, who ultimately calls on her one bit of magic—“MOMMY!”—and down from the clouds sweeps a pointy-nosed parent on a push broom, to set everything to rights. Just like real life. “Sorcerer’s apprentice” fans will enjoy this airy variation on a theme. (Picture book. 6-8)